2& FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS, 



S. Norvegicus. Cuv. The Norway Haddock. 



Pennant's British Zoology, p. 226 et fig. 



Mc Murtrie's Cuv. vol. ii., p. 12?, 



Cuv. et Valenc. Hist. Nat. des Poiss, t. iv. p. 327. 



Yarrell's British Fishes, vol. i., p. 73, et fig. 



Fauna lioreali Americana, p. .52. 



With US, this is not a common species ; it is taken while fish- 

 ing near shoal ledges contiguous to deep water. Although sel- 

 dom offered for sale in our market, it is readily eaten by the Nor- 

 wegians, and is a very palatable dish, as I learned from an 

 epicure of this city, who, having met with a specimen, and 

 thinking it to be the " Sciena gigas''' of Mitchell, had it carefully 

 cooked, and was much delighted with his rarity. By our fish- 

 ermen it is known by the names of " Bosejish,^^ " Hemdurgan,^' 

 and '•' Snapper." It attains the length of two feet. The fol- 

 lowing description is drawn up from a beautiful recent speci- 

 men, ten inches in length. 



All upper of the body of a reddish color : — darker upon 

 head and back, lighter upon sides : nearly white beneath. A 

 brown blotch upon posterior portion of operculum. All the fins 

 red. Length of the head, from tip of lower jaw when closed, 

 to posterior angle of operculum, one third the length of the fish ; 

 top of head, flattened. Operculum armed with two spines. 

 Suboperculum and interoperculum, have each one spine : pos- 

 terior edge of operculum has five spinous processes. Supra 

 scapular and subscapular bone, have each one spine ; a second, 

 scarcely perceptible spine upon supra scapular bone : two spines 

 u.pon suborbitar bone : a small, exceedingly sharp pointed spine 

 on each side of base of intermaxillary bones. Four spines 

 upon upper orbitar edge ; one, at upper anterior angle of eye ; 

 a second, Avith its base continued along the greater portion of 

 upper edge ; and two smaller ones, behind. A very minute 

 spine upon the lower orbitar edge, beneath centre of eye — and 

 two spines projecting backward upon occiput. Eyes very 

 large ; pupils black ; irides yellow : diameter of eye equal to 



